Bill-file



(No Model.)

W. D. MARTIN.

BILL FILE. V No. 438,352. Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. MARTIN, OF WARSAW, NEW YORK.

BILL-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,352, dated October14, 1890.

Application filed May 19, 1890, Serial No. 352,298. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM D. MARTIN, residing at Warsaw, in thecounty of Wyoming and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Bill- Files, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to bill-files, letterfiles, and the like.

The object of the invention is to produce a bill-file which may beconveniently suspended on the wall or otherwise used and which will holdpapers and similar small articles firmly and permit their convenientremoval and replacement.

a Figure 1 is a face View of the file. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sections.Fig. 4 is a view of the spring removed from the base and clamp-bar.

A indicates the base of the file. This is preferably a flat strip ofwood of convenient length to hold two or more of the clasps hereinafterdescribed. Any number of the clasps may be used' on the strip.

`Bis a piece of molding applied to the upper edge of the base-strip togive a neat and ornamental finish and to cover the springs of the clasp.

C C are wire or similar metallic springs which have loops D bypreference. One end c' of the spring enters the base-piece. That part ofthe wire removed from end c' lies near the surface ofthe base A and maybe parallel therewith or may be suitably curved, as indicated in dottedlines, Fig. 3.

The body portion E of the wire connects the two spring portions. Thatis, by preference, a single piece of wire forms the body E and thespring portions C O, having springloops I).

A wooden rod F has a longitudinal slot. f in one side, and this slotreceives the straight body portion E of the wire. At the ends of the rodF, beyond the body E of the wire, ornamental and Strengthening ferrulesGr may be applied. The rod F is held firmly to the body E of the wire bypins h,passing through the rod at the side of the Wire. It will be seenthat the wire springs C act to hold the rod firmly against the base A,yet the rod can be sprung away from the base to permit the applicationof papers or similar articles between the rod and base.

To hold a letter or bill firmly, a pin K is placed in the base andprojects outward therefrom. As shown in Fig. 3, this projects into ahole f in rod F. When bills or letters are placed on the pin, the rod isallowed to spring down on them and hold them fast.

In Fig. 2 a ring projecting from the rod F surrounds the pin K when therod is against the base-piece. This ring may be a staple or screw-eyebent at a suitable angle.

It will appear that the bill-file is simple and neat in appearance. Therod F is a much more convenient piece to handle than if the wire E wereallowed to lie flat on the papers.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, in a bill-file, of a basepiece, aholding-rod normally near the face of said base, and a spring-wireextending from each end of the holding-rod, forming a loop, and thenentering the base-piece, substantially as described.

2. The combination,in abill-file,of the basepiece, a spring-wireprojecting from said base and having a central portion about parallelwith the base, and a slotted rod embracing the central body portion ofthe wire, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the base-piece, the

' spring-wire having its central portion parallel with the base, aslotted rod embracing the central part of said spring-wire, and pinswhich secure the rod to the wire, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the base piece, springs having loops D and withtheir ends entering the base, a rod connecting the outer ends of thesesprings,a pin on the board, and a pin-receptacle on the rod, allcombined substantially as described.

5. The combination of the base piece, springs O C, having a straightbody portion, slotted rod F, embracing the body E of the wire, pins forretaining the rod to the wire, and ferrules at the ends of the rodbeyond the body E of the wire, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM D. MARTIN.

IOO

